I am convinced that there is no God but Allah. However, every time I
pray or think about Allah’s oneness, images come up in my mind to help me with
the process. The images are obviously not of Allah, but of the facts that
convinced me about Allah being the One and Only God. For instance, the Qur’ān
tells us to compare the undeniable order found in the universe, on this planet,
everywhere with the consistency and order found in it. The list of all eye
opening truths will take forever to write. Yet I find the ones regarding the
creation and order of this universe, and of us (and our bodies), to be the most
convincing.

The images coming to my mind are by no means real, but they help me think. It is
not possible for any human being to imagine the vastness of the universe, let
alone how it looked like while it was being expanded by Allah (there is no
possible way of telling where the universe was since there was nothing before it
with the exception of Allah, and we don't know what Allah looks like). So, can
you please tell me of a better way to think about Allah's oneness, as I feel
like a child who has, through Allah's mercy begun to think about the truth that
defines reality itself; that separates reason from madness? Everything I have
learned has a connection with imagery. Yet I cannot use imagery, or mental
pictures to help me understand Allah better. If we utilize imagery to understand
the world around us then why can we not rely on it to facilitate us in
understanding the oneness of Allah? This is so confusing; sometimes I feel that
Allah has led me toward a great treasure yet I am too stupid to fully understand
its value.

Answer:

This is a great virtue that you possess. You should nurture it and use
it to appreciate the greatness of the Almighty and the reality that He alone is
administering the affairs of this vast universe. You have rightly pointed out
that all the terrestrial panoramas and the celestial heights bear witness to the
fact that someone has wisely put them into process. As the Qur’ān asserts, the
orderly arrangement and the minutely calculated management of world affairs
could not have been achieved had there been more than one creator and
administrator. The Almighty has extended an invitation to man at scores of
places in the Qur’ān to ponder over the mystery of his own creation as well as
of the world he lives in, all the while thinking how meticulously his Creator
has set details for each phenomenon that takes place within and around him.
Thus, there is an evident connection between the Creator and His creation that
our Master wants us to establish and thereby appreciate. Obviously, when we
would strive to realize this hidden, yet so apparent relationship, related
images will naturally come to our mind. Therefore, this situation should not be
feared since it is exactly what our Lord wants us to do. Hence, there is no
reason not to benefit from this great virtue. You are indeed allowed to utilize
imagery to appreciate the oneness of Allah.